Thursday 4 December 2008

Usha Khanna: Hawas (1974)

Hawas

(This soundtrack is simultaneously being posted on Parties, Sarees and Melodies. Go have a look.)

I've yet to properly sink my teeth into the music of Usha Khanna, but each time I hear something of hers, I want to find out more. The last one I posted was excellent, as is 'Hawas'. There's a great, loungy vibe contained within most of the score; psych-tinged, jazz-tinged, pop-tinged - or any combination of the above. I'm particularly fond of 'Aao Yaro Gao' (a companion piece, perhaps, to Burman's 'Dum Maro Dum'), 'Yeh Hawas Kya Hai' (loads of cool jazzy details) and 'Apne Dil Men Jagah Dijiye' (with an awesome John Barry/Persuaders sound-a-like intro). To be fair though, there's a hardly a dull moment at all on this album, so well worth grabbing.

Track listing:
1. Asha Bhosle & Chorus: Aao Yaro Gao
2. Asha Bhosle: Yeh Hawas Kya Hai
3. Mohd. Rafi: Teri Galiyon Men
4. Asha Bhosle: Apne Dil Men Jagah Dijiye
5. Asha Bhosle: Kal Raat Usne

10 comments:

  1. Thanks as always, PC. I'm a big fan of Usha Khanna and not just because she's one of the few female music directors in Hindi cinema :-)

    Her soundtrack for one of my Shammi Kapoor favorites, Dil Deke Dekho, is fabulous...

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  2. I've heard it, yeah it's nice. The one of hers I'm really hoping to find is Hotel.
    PC x

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  3. hey pc!
    here's a rather nice (if a bit scratchy) rip of usha's "hotel" o.s.t. it's a really great one!
    hope you enjoy.

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  4. Memsaab! One of the few music directors? Woah! I thought she was the only one! Do you know others too? Would love to know.

    This one is utterly smooth and soooo addictive. Sort of gets tattooed to the brain. Specially the song "AAO YAARON GAO" has a very very addictive melody. You just cannot stop humming it. This was one of the peppier ones from Usha Khanna. "SAAJAN BINA SUHAAGAN" is yet another beautiful melodious composition of hers. Believe it or not! Her niece is a dance teacher and taught me Salsa back in INDIA. :)
    Fun times......Thank you PC :)

    Harshi

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  5. Yeah, don't think I've heard of other female MDs either. What's really impressive about 'Dil Deke Dekho' (which Memsaab mentioned) is she was only 17 when she scored it!
    PC x

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  6. Listen to Aap To Aise Na The by Usha Khanna!

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  7. Well one other one that comes immediately to mind even though it makes me a total geek is Saraswati Devi. She was the first female music director! worked in the 30s and 40s...probably her best-known song is the one from Acchut Kanya that Devika Rani and Ashok Kumar sang :-)

    Besides for her, Lata has also done some composing.

    And thanks to Peter for Hotel as well :-)

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